A bit of help on straight purchasing

I could see myself continuing my addiction by adding straights. I do not know much about them. I looked at a lot of them today but either the scales were cracked or the blades had pieces missing. What are some things to look for when buying a straight, also what are some good quality brands especially in vintage. Like with DE's I am not much into the modern stuff I prefer vintage and antique. My tastes in straights will probably follow those same lines.

Thanks Guys and Gals,

I know of three major strains of straight razors.

1. Sheffield, or Sheffield England, Broad Arrow marked.
2. Solingen, or just Made in Germany
3. New York (like the Genco you just got)

There are, of course, others. There are great French, Spanish, and Norwegian blades available in vintage.

The best blades will have round spines, with almost no flats from honing. The edges will be smooth, and relatively straight. A slight smile is good. A frown is bad. Taper is bad.

Another thing to watch for is corrosion. If a blade has very dark spots which extend down to the edge, it may have rust which keeps the razor from being worth much at all.

The sticky thread would be the best spot to start: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=172786

What to look for?
-Minimal to no pitting
-Minimal to no rust
-Rust/pitting near the edge, do not buy
-Chips and cracks on the blade, do not buy
-Broken scales? Only buy if you plan to restore the straight or have it restored. Be prepared to put some money in it.

Good/bad brands: http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=28470